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Sorry, way off topic
We use Skype to keep in touch with family who live abroad. It's free to download and you can chat over the internet without having to type. We can also see each other as we both have video cams on the computers.moving wrote:On the plus side they have friends with family members who are a long distance from here and they keep in touch. I am trying to persuade my parents to join so that they can chat to the children more easily.
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familyinthevalley
- Posts: 245
- Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2009 7:43 pm
We all have facebook accounts. Through this, we have been able to get to know cousins in Australia - some are now in their 20's, and my boys all chat with their grandparents, send a note back and forth a couple of times a week. The contact between us and our families in Canada and Australia has never been as great as it is now. Hours after a new child is born, we have pictures on facebook to admire - it's great.
My three younger boys have accounts, however, I have the passwords for their accounts, and on our home computer, they can ONLY access the site from the 'parents' log in user account - so they cannot actually log in at home to facebook without myself or their dad being aware. Before anybody thinks this is OTT, these three boys are aged 7, 10 and 11. Some might think that is too young - but they use it for family, and um, I have signed them up to farmville so that they can all be my neighbours
The older two boys have accounts as well. I don't check the 20 yr olds obviously, the 18 yr olds I still have his password if needed.....but so many of his friends and my 20 yr olds friends have added me as a friend, as have the rugby team - I can see enough and don't have any reason to feel I have to check my 18 yr olds account anyway. If he went 'weird' on me, or a major change in behaviour or something - I still might, but as long as he's 'his normal self' and communicative - I don't have a problem.
My three younger boys have accounts, however, I have the passwords for their accounts, and on our home computer, they can ONLY access the site from the 'parents' log in user account - so they cannot actually log in at home to facebook without myself or their dad being aware. Before anybody thinks this is OTT, these three boys are aged 7, 10 and 11. Some might think that is too young - but they use it for family, and um, I have signed them up to farmville so that they can all be my neighbours
The older two boys have accounts as well. I don't check the 20 yr olds obviously, the 18 yr olds I still have his password if needed.....but so many of his friends and my 20 yr olds friends have added me as a friend, as have the rugby team - I can see enough and don't have any reason to feel I have to check my 18 yr olds account anyway. If he went 'weird' on me, or a major change in behaviour or something - I still might, but as long as he's 'his normal self' and communicative - I don't have a problem.
I agree Katel, although I did initially have reservations before I knew how major a part this plays in DS's communication with his friends.
His school are having a whole school assembly on Monday on the dangers of social networking and cyber bullying so they are obviously aware of the significance of Facebook etc.
His school are having a whole school assembly on Monday on the dangers of social networking and cyber bullying so they are obviously aware of the significance of Facebook etc.
Hello! Lurker here 
This is my first post, so go easy on me please
I too had serious reservations about my DD age 11 joining FB. Firstly, due to the age limit being 13 I thought 'no way' but then I started getting requests from her friends of the same age to be MY friend on FB! I agreed to let her join, providing she accepts me as her 'friend' on there & I never post on her wall. I do occasionally have a look at what she is up to, but thankfully there has been nothing untoward on there & she mainly uses it to chat to her friends in the evening. She understands the rule about not accepting anyone she does not know to be her friend as I've explained that you do not know who is really behind the profile of an 11 yr old boy called Fred, it could be a 40 yr old man/woman!
I must admit, when my daughter first got her mobile phone (which she had to wait until yr7 to get) I used to get annoyed with the constant texting, but then I took a step back & realised that things have changed dramatically since I was a child in the world of technology & I don't consider myself too past it at 37! I now accept that had all this technology exsisted when I was 11, with both phones & FB, I too would have been part of it rather than playing with my Atari
This is my first post, so go easy on me please
I too had serious reservations about my DD age 11 joining FB. Firstly, due to the age limit being 13 I thought 'no way' but then I started getting requests from her friends of the same age to be MY friend on FB! I agreed to let her join, providing she accepts me as her 'friend' on there & I never post on her wall. I do occasionally have a look at what she is up to, but thankfully there has been nothing untoward on there & she mainly uses it to chat to her friends in the evening. She understands the rule about not accepting anyone she does not know to be her friend as I've explained that you do not know who is really behind the profile of an 11 yr old boy called Fred, it could be a 40 yr old man/woman!
I must admit, when my daughter first got her mobile phone (which she had to wait until yr7 to get) I used to get annoyed with the constant texting, but then I took a step back & realised that things have changed dramatically since I was a child in the world of technology & I don't consider myself too past it at 37! I now accept that had all this technology exsisted when I was 11, with both phones & FB, I too would have been part of it rather than playing with my Atari
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LucyLou's Mum
- Posts: 22
- Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2008 8:43 pm
- Location: Oxfordshire
Desperate- please help!
Hi Happy 1 Welcome
I'm a bit of a lurker myself but interject every now and again. My DD has a facebook account at the age of 12. I however have her login and password which I must admit since aquiring has reduced her imput on the social network site no end - good or bad. (This was commented on by my friends who had accepted DD as a friend and then noticed DD's reduced appearance, they themselves spend an inordinate amount of time on the site!, myself I hardly ever use it and have managed some how to build up some 50 friends and receive requests from strangers abroad!). In my opinion we as a society are in Safeguarding overdrive and the best way of insuring our childs safety is to install in them, all about risk and the best way to handle it. Therefore my DD knows all about accepting a friend through a friend and when agreeing to meet a friend in town it's not negotiable that we get to 'hand over'. But to me the biggest challenge in this day and age is getting my youngest child to look left and right before crossing the road, after all traffic is the biggest danger that they face.
I'm a bit of a lurker myself but interject every now and again. My DD has a facebook account at the age of 12. I however have her login and password which I must admit since aquiring has reduced her imput on the social network site no end - good or bad. (This was commented on by my friends who had accepted DD as a friend and then noticed DD's reduced appearance, they themselves spend an inordinate amount of time on the site!, myself I hardly ever use it and have managed some how to build up some 50 friends and receive requests from strangers abroad!). In my opinion we as a society are in Safeguarding overdrive and the best way of insuring our childs safety is to install in them, all about risk and the best way to handle it. Therefore my DD knows all about accepting a friend through a friend and when agreeing to meet a friend in town it's not negotiable that we get to 'hand over'. But to me the biggest challenge in this day and age is getting my youngest child to look left and right before crossing the road, after all traffic is the biggest danger that they face.
Plese just be aware that by being your child's 'friend' on facebook you can only see the public content - you cannot see their 'message' pages.
And people who are not their 'friends' can send them messages.
Of course if you have their password then you can access this part of their profile.
Not passing comment - just thought it might be helpful to clarify!
And people who are not their 'friends' can send them messages.
Of course if you have their password then you can access this part of their profile.
Not passing comment - just thought it might be helpful to clarify!
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Chelmsford mum
- Posts: 2113
- Joined: Sat Feb 21, 2009 7:16 pm
Absolutely KB ! You really only have partial access as their friend.If they are on facebook before the specified age of 13, it may well be worth having their password.
I won't bore everyone with the details again but we had difficulties via the inbox/ messaging facility with an older man approaching by then 13 year old daughter.
I won't bore everyone with the details again but we had difficulties via the inbox/ messaging facility with an older man approaching by then 13 year old daughter.
